Can Accessories Tie Together Clashing Colors?

So I thought that I would try to bring the colors closer together visually by choosing accessories with that goal in mind…

This is the color scheme with which we are working, based on this really cool painting:

While the first wardrobe from this painting – with brown and beige neutrals – looked great with gold jewelry, now that we’ve changed our core neutrals to cool grey, I’m thinking that silver jewelry is the direction to take…

It’s always reasonable and smart to have a plan when you’re pulling together accessories. For this particular wardrobe, I’m going to concentrate on silver jewelry, and grey accessories, but keep my eye open for little details that will make the grey feel more “at home” with the warm accent colors. Silver jewelry with an orange stone, for example, might be just the ticket…

To refresh our memories, this is the wardrobe with all of the grey clothes, and that insanely expensive scarf…

I’m perfectly willing to admit that you might still not like these accent colors with grey – and you don’t have to! It is nice, however, to consider some “difficult” color schemes from time to time, if only to help you really focus on your own, very personal, likes and dislikes!

I like to think that I, personally, have considered all KINDS of color schemes! And after all of the writing that I’ve done on The Vivienne Files, I’m still committed to wearing almost exclusively black and white. I think we can say that my preference are pretty clearly-defined and deeply rooted…

Hi Janice. I like your focus on black and white for yourself. I sometimes dream of wearing only navy and ecru/cream. My husband likes color and wears many, so to please him I wear accent colors I like. He always compliments me when I wear light grey – so grey and cream :). So how far do we go to please a partner? Your husband probably loves black and I’m sure you look beautiful with black. Janice Collins Coyle, Washington DC

I am loving the gray with sherbet citrus! I could wear these, and seeing how these accessories do help pull everything together gives me even more ideas and incentive to try. Thanks for including this post on the accessories.

I ❤️ gray and wear quite a bit of it, especially in Winter, but I feel like a little black thrown in instead of all the gray might brighten this wardrobe up a bit. I think of gray as a muted color and black as a clearer “color” which would work well with the bright, clear warm colors in the wardrobe.

I’m trying to decide which me I like better – the gray neutrals or the beige neutrals with the citrus!!! Not all of us wear dark neutrals well, so it’s good too see lovely alternatives.

I’ve taken your advice for linking accessories with metals and accent colored stones with my outfits – works like a charm and I feel so pulled together. A young woman I work with said “I see how you do that with the little blue earrings, the necklace with the blue and the blue shoes, and I like it.”

This is very helpful for me. I tend towards warm colors but with grey hair and greenish blue eyes grey is an easy neutral for me. My favorite necklace and watch are combinations of white and yellow gold, something I find useful when mixing warm colors with grey.

Please, can someone explain to me that “clashing” concept? I am not that knowledgeable regarding colors so I don’t get it. Any clashing can happen to someones seasonal personal coloring. But each season has almost all the colors, just adjusted for the person. Any neutral goes with any other color according to Stacey London and I can’t disagree, I loved WNTW. Cool and warm colors complement each other, not clash? IMHO gray and beige are exquisite together.

There are warm and cool greys, though. If you don’t like the clashing cool vs. warm concept, and yet you like the colors, I’d suggest trying these citron and grapefruit shades with a warm grey, which has a yellow undertone, while cool greys have a blue undertone (to answer the person above who wants to know about ‘clashing’ colors/tones/hues). Sure, your eye isn’t going to gravitate to cool with warm; mine doesn’t usually either. But it can really help when you’re shopping to see the difference. I avoid warm greys and yet sometimes end up with them, and when I do, I tend to put ‘warm’ blues with them, rather than cool blues. The key is the undertone of the color you’re assessing, whether it’s got a warm or cool undertone.

Thank you, Alison. This is the excellent explanation and very important point! Now I can see that other people who can tell undertones, may perceive me as wearing clashing colors. I wasn’t aware of undertones. Btw I am dark autumn – so for me, it is the best to stick with the seasonal palette, since I’m not sure I can see that. But when I’m shopping I do take with me an item to see if the colors go together. I just didn’t perceive that clashing as an issue of cool/warm. I guess I instinctively purchase warm greys (if I purchase them) since my coloring is warm.

I love these combinations; however, gold works much better for my skin tone, which means I would add a mix of silver/gold/copper accessories near my face. I love silver bracelets and rings. Greys and yellows can be either warm or cool and warm always works best for me.

Thank you for using unexpected color combinations. Regardless of whether they are my personal preference or not, they always cause me to think, which I appreciate. Some of your most helpful posts have come from analysis of why I did not care for the choices. It has helped me define what I do like and what styles best suit my coloring and body build. There really is no “wrong”. Thank you for your playful and creative approach.

I wear both silver and gold jewelry. Depends on the outfit. I like the citrus colors with both beige and gray! I think I lean towards the warm side of things but I have on a royal blue top today with silver jewelry and I think it looks good with my skin tone. I do have blue eyes. These posts certainly get us to look at unusual color palettes in a different way!

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The Vivienne Files is a unique personal style blog with carefully-selected capsule wardrobes based on color palettes drawn from works of art, nature, and more. It helps women buy less clothing, and to love what they buy. Read more...

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